Australian Sire Lonhro to Shuttle to Darley

Lonhro, Australia’s 2010-11 leading sire, will shuttle to Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley at Jonabell near Lexington for the 2012 breeding season. He currently stands at Darley Australia for the Southern Hemisphere season.

John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, said, “Lonhro is a rare Thoroughbred—a Horse of the Year on the racetrack and then a champion sire. He is among the most talented horses to have graced the Australian Turf in living memory and will bring to America the soundness and toughness for which Australian horses are known. As a stallion, his rise has been meteoric."

Lonhro won 26 of 35 races and earned $5,790,510 (Australian funds). His 11 group I wins came at ages 2 through 5. Twenty-four of his wins came in group stakes. Lonhro's racing career concluded with titles as Australia's Horse of the Year and champion miler for the 2003-04 season.

Lonhro became Australia's leading sire for the first time this year after having only four crops to race. To achieve this, he defeated international sires Galileo and Redoute's Choice, and fellow Darley stallions Street Cry (IRE) and Elusive Quality. He has sired group I winners Beaded, Benfica, and Denman, who now stands alongside Lonhro at Darley Australia.

Ferguson added, “Lonhro is coming in at the top of his game. He’s young. He’s fresh. He’s already proved he’s a stallion of influence. He stamps his stock. And he’s a great-looking horse. Lonhro has totally rewarded our faith in the Southern Hemisphere, and we believe he will be perfect for mares in the Northern Hemisphere and a real asset to breeders.”